Chapter 3 (Second Part)
Leroy, who is always out of sight, considers the current situation of Lenore.
Sitting on a soft armchair, blindfolded and heart throbbing. Unable to discern what surrounds her and devoid of all her senses, Lenore is watched by an unknown person.
“I thought I would be released to be released. If freeing myself from that old hunter is just going to leave me as a hostage as an exchange price or whatever.... so in that case, let me get married to Justin.”
Her heart tightens and a tear flows down her cheek, she shudders with fear and keeps a dead submissive posture.
Leaning against the wall next to Annalee, Aelan stares at Lenore at length.
“So she would be the famous rose. How can I tell you that I am slightly disappointed?” Aelan admits to Annalee.
Aelan puts her long blonde hair back and looks up.
“I remind you that I was used as a guinea pig during the week. If the plan was poorly implemented, I could have ended up like her. So avoid laughing.”
Aelan raises her arms in the air as a sign of peace. She focuses again on Lenore and says nothing more.
"Aelan and Annalee." the same hoarse voice, resounds in their minds, and calls them
At the same time, they tense and listen.
“You have custody of the famous rose. It’s only temporary. I’ve already told you what to do with it. I expect you won’t let her know any of the details about where she is or with whom. Is that clear?”
“Yes. We blocked all her senses,” Aelan said with certainty.
“By the way, when will this weed stop working?” asks Annalee, who is slightly suspicious.
“Until tonight, her eyes will only be used to cry, her nose will only be used to breathe and her ears to decorate her little head.”
“Don’t take all your time.”
“I don’t want to get too involved in your business. I can know what you’re doing?” Aelan asks him in thought.
Leroy holds back with laughter and looks up. “I watch over little Desmond. A very clumsy hunter.”
“Desmond.” mumble the two teenage girls at once, they address the same mitigated look, eyes squinted and lips pinched.
Yes, Desmond, the young hunter sitting on the ground at the bottom of several steps, his mind blurred and his clothes covered with dust.
“What’s going to make me climb all these stairs again?”
He turns around and puts his hands on his pelvis.
He finds himself in a dark, hidden cellar.
Curious enough and too lazy to go up the stairs right away, he forgets Lenore and sets off on an adventure.
Unsuspecting, he advances and looks for any way out to shake.
“I don’t see anything interesting.” He sighs and stands straight up. “If only I could sleep. I admit that sometimes I don’t get enough sleep.”
Tired, Desmond stands on the ground with his legs crossed, his hands pressed to the ground and his head raised towards the ceiling.
The wall of the floor closes and immediately, a light reigns throughout the cellar.
Surprised by the sound of the wall, he jumps and quickly gets up from his place.
“Where am I?” He turns around and screams in terror.
Facing him is a huge stuffed wolf, sharp fangs and ears down, claws out.
“It’s mulch. I almost died.” He breathes relief and turns around.
Around him are several huge framed scrolls. He approaches them, but cannot read the content, as the frame is dusty.
“What kind of parchment can we hide here?”
He takes off his t-shirt and presses it against one of the frames and wipes it with it. Once clearer, he leans forward and reads it.
“Avatars and hunters join forces against werewolves in a war without limits. Conditions are applied to this pact. A being remains a being regardless of race. No act of suffering, torture or abuse is tolerated. If a member of both parties finds a werewolf, it is assured death or denial and pity that prompts his release.”
Desmond slowly stands up and stares at the scrolls.
“This is not what men of our rank do. They are caught and tortured until no more breath is breathed.”
Disturbed and concerned by what he learns, Desmond passes his hand along his hair and contemplates the void.
“According to this parchment, Justin is indeed a criminal and the rose celebrates a victim. I don’t understand, if even our people don’t understand that, then why is that happening?”
Immediately, a strange flame born in him and his eyes shine with hatred.
“I’m going to get her rose, I’m going to find her and I’m going to release her. There’s no way I’m going to let her marry such a monster.”
While Desmond leans from one cause to another, unable to decide. He finally leaves the building and looks at the different floors.
“According to what he told me, his rose must be on this floor. Which means that his room can only be this one.”
Certain not to be mistaken, Desmond returns inside the building and goes up the floors in search of Lenore.
Again, he joins the same room as this morning and again, Lenore is still not there.
“The famous rose is not there. I understand that.” He nods several times and turns to the exit.
He walks a hundred paces and looks for a plausible explanation.
“This can only mean two things. First, I would have been in the wrong room.”
Thinking again of this possibility, Desmond runs towards the exit and stands again in front of the building.
“The rose room is here, it’s the one I can’t reach.”
Determined to be sure, he approaches the wall and begins climbing this time. Hardly and without paying attention to the villagers confused by his behavior, he climbs the brisques one after the other, one floor after the other until reaching the famous room of Lenore.
He reaches his window. Breathless, he drops to the other side and falls to the ground.
“It was so intense and tiring.”
Desmond stands up with difficulty and stares at the same room for the third time. He swallows his saliva with difficulty and looks intensely around.
“Yes, she’s not there.” He bends his legs and puts his hands on his knees, calming his breathing. “It’s not the room I couldn’t find. It’s just the famous rose that’s not in her room.”
Desmond gently bangs his cheeks and walks from left to right.
“Famous Rose, what did you do to me famous rose?” He holds his head with his hands and turns his head in a circle. "You took back your freedom without even letting me know. My life is over today, I am over.” He bites his lower lip. "Is it the end, Ha Am I really asking? There's no way I could make it till 'My' next birthday."